The BitFenix Prodigy - A Flexible Mini-ITX Case

The recent debuts of several high-end mini-ITX motherboards such as ASUS' P8Z77-I Deluxe and ZOTAC's Z77-ITX WiFi have sparked considerable interest among system builders, but which case should you base your miniscule powerhouse on? BitFenix has come up with an unconventional mini-ITX chassis that just might be worthy of a second look. The steel mini-box appears to have taken some design cues out of Apple's G5 desktop chassis, with the "FyberFlex" plastic handles sturdy enough to pick the case up. One unusual feature is the placement of front I/O and buttons, which are oddly located at the case's lower right-hand side.

The Prodigy has a meshed top cover, and comes in black or white color variants. Storage-wise the case can apparently fit in nine 2.5-inch drives or five 3.5-inch drives, along with an optical drive. Those wanting to use a longer graphics card can easily remove the drive bays, and, get this - the top 5.25-inch drive bay can be taken out to make way for a 240mm radiator. A standard PSU fits in snugly underneath the motherboard, with two 120mm fans placed at the front and rear, and room for two optional 120mm fans at the top. At a suggested $79 price tag, this could make for a compelling case for your next portable desktop gaming rig.